Island



5 sheets sheet 1.

(No Model.)

E. J. PEIRCE, Jr, WAX THREAD SEWING- MACHINE.

Patentd July 1, 1 890.

(No Modl.) 5 Sheets-Sheet. 3.

E. J. PEIROE, Jr.

WAX THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

No. 431,192. Patented July 1, 1890.

, Mummnn 5 She ets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

B. J. PEIRGE. Jr.

WAX THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

No. 431,192. Patented July 1, 1890.

'5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

E. J. PEIRGE, Jr.

WAX THREAD'SEWING MACHINE.

No. 431,192. Patented July 1, 1890.

$11 attozmi o $lwaw side of said machine.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN J. PEIRCE, JR, OF IVOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE VVARDWVELL SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WAX-THREAD SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.431,192, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed February 18, 1890. $erial No. 340,849. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWIN J. PEIRCE, .Ir., a citizen of the United States, residing at Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ax-Thread Sewing-lVIachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in wax-thread sewing-machines, fully set forth hereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation enlarged, showing the opposite Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan showing the parts belowthe overhanging arm. Fig. 4 is an enlargedperspective view of the frame carrying the presser-foot and adjacent parts. Fig. 5'is an enlarged sectional plan on the line 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional plan on the line 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in part section, showing the appliances for lifting the presser-foot frame. Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the carrier for the awl and needle bars. Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view, showing the parts which operate directly upon the work and the operating devices immediately connected therewith. Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustratingthe progressive formation of the stitch;

The progressive formation of the stitch from a loop of under thread 00 and upper thread y is illustrated in Fig. 10, in which X represents the material, in which perforations I) are formed by the awl as the material moves step by step in the direction of the arrow. The lower thread a: is first drawn up to form a loop a. A loop y of the upper thread is then passed through the loop a, as shown at b. The lower thread is then drawn to first carry the loop y to the position shown at c and then drawn down, doubling the loop y in to the per foration o, as shown at d, thus completing the stitch. These operations are effected through the instrumentality of the following devices, best shown in Fig. 9: A spur f, an awl B, a needle C, an upper-thread carrier D, a loopholder E, a lower-thread carrier 3, and a lowerthread deflector 4, which parts co-operate with each other, and a work-plate 2, Fig. 1, and with a presser-foot 42, as fully set forth hereinafter.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, all of the above-described parts except the work-plate and lower-thread carrier and deflector are carried by means of an overhanging arm H, and the spur, the upper-thread carrier, the looper, and the pressenfoot are carried by a yokeframe T, the form of which, said parts detached, is best shown in Fig. 4.

In the operation of sewing, the spur f, Fi 9, first penetrates without passing through the fabric and then rises slightly, so as to reduce the friction of the fabric against thework-plate by slightly lifting the fabric, which adheres frictionally to the spur. The presser-foot then rises slightly to relieve the pressure upon the fabric, while the spur descends slightly and 'then moves the fabric laterally until the spur is over the hole 6, Fig. 2, in the work-plate.

The presser-foot then descends and the spur rises and moves back to its first position, after which the awl descends, perforates the fabric through the opening made by the spur, and rises. The awl then moves to one side and the needle G,Fig. 9, comes directly above the awl-hole u, Fig. 10,in the fabric and descends between the lower-thread carrier 3 and deflector 4, Fig. 9. The carrier and deflector then move back in the direction of the arrow 1, Fig.9, carrying the lower thread X, Fig. 10, into the hook of the needle 0, Fig. 9, and the needle then rises, carrying the thread to position a, Fig. 10. The upper-thread carrier D, Fig. 9, then swings in, carrying the loop of the upper thread y, Fig. 10, through the loop of thread at, Figs. 9 and 10, and then the holder E, Fig. 9, catches the thread 3 and the carrier D moves back, leaving the thread y as a loop extending through the thread 00, as at b, Fig. 1.0. The holderE then moves out of the loop y and the lower thread is drawn by the take-up until the upper thread is drawn in the form of a loop into the fabric, as shown at d, Fig. 10.

The thread carried by the upper-thread carrier D is conducted ,from the upper wax-pot 188, Figs. 1 and 2, in the usual manner.

The spur f is carried by an arm 50, Fig. 9, swinging upon a cross-rod 80, supported by the branches of the yoke T, and the arm 50 is connected by a rod 53 to and reciprocated by a lever 17, pivoted to a standard F, supporting the overhanging arm H. In the standard turns a driving-shaft 19, carrying a cam W, which has a side groove that engages a lug on the lever17 to vibrate the latter. (See Fig.

The lateral movement of the arm 50,which imparts the feed to the spur f, is effected by means of a wedge S,which is formed to straddle the rod 80, and which passes between a .hub 29 upon the central branch of the yoke and a collar 30, secured to the rod 80, which carries the arm 50. A spring 25 moves the rod and its arm 50 and collar 30 in the direction of the arrow 2, Fig. 9, while the wedge S, bearing on the hub 29, presses with its beveled face against the collar 30 and moves the rod 80 and arm 50 in the opposite direction always to suchpoint that the spur is brought over the hole 6 in the work-plate, Fig. 2. A set-screw 129, Fig. 9, passing through one of the branches of the yoke T, in position to be struck by the arm 50, limits the movements of the parts in the direction of the arrow 2 and determines the length of the feed and consequently of the stitch. The feed-wedge S is connected to a forked rod 45, Figs. 2 and 3, which embraces the shaft 19 and is reciprocated by a cam U, a groove in the inner face .of which receives a stud on the end of the said rod 45.

The upper-thread carrier D, Figs. 2 and 9, is carried by an arm 9, upon a shaft 26, rocking in bearings in the yoke T, an arm 38 on the shaft being connected by a rod 37 with a lever 39, Figs. 2 and 3, pivoted to the side of the standard F and reciprocated by means of the cam U, a groove in the outer face of which receives a lug on the said lever.

The loop-holder E, Fig. 9, is carried byan arm 11, connected to avertical rock-shaft 43, turning in bearings in the central stud z of the yoke, a rod 46, Figs. 2, 3, and 9, connecting an arm 41 upon said rock-shaft with one arm of a bell-crank lever 51, Fig. 3, a stud on the other arm of which extends into a pcripheral groove in the cam U, which thus operates the lever 41 and the parts connected therewith.

The presser-foot- 42 is connected with and carried by the central stud z of the yoke T, and moves vertically with the latter. A shaft 141, connected to the yoke, passes upward through the arm H of the machine and is provided with a pin 86, Fig. 7, which enters an inclined spiral slot 58 in a sleeve R, surrounding the shaft, which sleeve is provided with a flange 59, havinga serrated lower edge.

To the needle-lever 32, Fig. 7, pivoted to one side of the arm H, is hung a link 60, a lug 61 of which extends under the serrated flange 59, so that as the needle-lever rises the lug 61 at the termination of the needle-levers upper movement will make contact with the flange and liftthe sleeve B, Fig. 7, and the yoke, the roughened surfaces of the parts 59 61 preventing the sleeve from turning.

The extent to which the yoke T and presserfoot must be lifted is always the same, while the thickness of the differentmaterials operated upon varies. For this reason the slot 58 is inclined, so that when the presser-foot and yoke are raised to admit any thickness of material the pin 86, bearing upon the inclined face of the slot 58, will turn the sleeve R in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 7, to an extent proportioned to that to which the shaft 141 is raised, and whatever extent this may be there is never any vertical play between the pin 86 and the sides of the slot 58 in the sleeve B, so that when the lug 61 strikes the flange 59 and lifts the shaft 141 the presserfoot will always move with it to the same extent whatever may be the position to which the presser-foot has been raised by the thickness of the material.

The awl and needle are carried by two bars I 7 8, arranged side by side between guides in a carrier Q, Figs. 5, 6, and 8, consisting of two heads 93 93, connected by a stem 94, and fit means, as by a lever 99, Figs. 2 and 3, pivoted to one side of the standard and reciprocated by means of a cam-groove in the outer face of the cam U, and connected by a rod 94, Figs. 2 and 6, to an arm 95, extending from the side of the carrier Q. The needle-bar 8 is provided with a slotted block 191, Fig. 5, into the transverse slot 8, Fig. 2, of which fits the head of a pivoted lug 192, extending into the needle-lever 32, and the awl-bar 7 is provided with a like block 165, slotted and receiving the head of a pivoted lug 94, extending into the awl-operating lever 26, Figs. 1 and 5, the latter being pivoted at 27 to'one side of the arm H and being actuated from a cam-groove in the side of one of the cams, as V, Fig. 3.

The horn A, that carries the work-plate 2, is pivoted between projections 214 and 215 upon the standard F, so as to swing about a vertical axis coincident with that .of a rod 66, Figs. 1 and 2, and with thehole 6 in the workplate, so that the work-plate and the Work thereon may be turned to any suitable position,and the parts uponthe horn are operated from the shaft 19, through the medium of flanged spools 63 64 65 sliding 011 the rod 66. Thus a lever 91, Fig; 1, pivoted to one side of the standard, is connected to a rod 101, slotted to receive the shaft 19 and operated by a cam-groove in the side of the cam V, and this lever 91 is connected to a slide 107, having at the upper end an arm with a stud fitting between the flanges of the spool 63. The lever 67, pivoted to one side of the horn A, is connected by a rod 69, Figs.

2 and 9, with the thread-carrier 3, Fig. 9, while a lever 68, Fig. 1, having a stud passing between the flanges of the spool 65, is connected by a rod 71 to a slide 70, Fig. 9, carrying a pin 73, that enters a curved slot 7a in the thread-deflector 4, which is swung upon its pivot by the reciprocation of the stud 73 in the slot 74., Fig. 9. The spool is reciprocated by the movement of a lever 90, Fig. pivoted to one side of the standard and operated by a cam-slot in the cam U, receiving a stud on a connecting-rod 102.

The lower thread as, Fig. 1, passes through a diametrical slit in a take-up disk I, which turns between two studs 117 118, thereby laying the thread upon the periphery of the disk and drawing it in one direction from the Waxpot 111 and in the other direction through the fabric to draw down the loop of upper thread, as shown at (Z, Fig. 10. When the take-up disk is brought again to the position shown in Fig. 1, the thread can pass freely, as the needle draws the loop upward through the fabric in the position a, Fig. 10.

The oscillation of the take-up disk is effected through the medium of a rack-lever 124, Fig. 2, engaging a pinion 123, meshing with a pinion 133 on the shaft of the disk, a stud on the rack-lever entering between the flanges of the spool 64, which is moved vertically by the vibration of a lever 125, Fig. 1, pivoted to the side of the standard. The lever 125 receives its movement by the longitudinal reciprocation of a connecting-rod 126, attached to the lower end of a lever 127, pivoted to the standard F and deriving its movement from a cam-groove in the side of the cam WV.

If the amount of thread paid out to form each loop were always the same, the parts above described would have uniform movements; but as the fabric varies in thickness at different points it is necessary, in order to prevent variations in the locking of the stitches, to provide means whereby the loop of upper thread shall always be drawn down to the same extent below the upper surface of the fabric, as shown at d, Fig. 10, whatever may be the thickness of the fabric, for it will be evident that the under thread must be drawn down to a greater extent to draw the loop of upper thread when the fabric is half an inch thick than when the fabric is an inch in thickness. In order to effect this operation automatically, I vary the extent to which the takeup disk I is turned, so as to increase its amount of oscillation in proportion as the thickness of the fabric decreases, by means of a connection between the presser-foot, the position of which varies with the thickness of the fabric, and the operating devices of the disk. Thus the connecting-pin 128, carried by the rod 126, enters a curved slot 52, Fig.1, in one arm of the lever 125, and into a slot 116 in the lever 126 enters the pin 119, carried by a lever 195, Fig. 2, pivoted to the otherside of the standard. of the machine, and to a pin 120 on the lever 195 is connected the lower end of the rod 112, Fig. 2, connected at the upper end to the yoke T, that carries the presser-foot. When the presser-foot is lifted by the increased thickness of the fabric, the pins 119 128 are also elevated, whereby a reduced throw is imparted to the lever 125,. and the loop of lower thread is drawn down to a less extent, while when the thickness of the fabric decreases the presser-foot and the yoke are lowered, together with the pins 119 128, the throw of the lever 125 is increased, the take-up disk is oscillated to a greater extent, and the loop of lower thread is drawn farther down.

The slot 52 is so arranged in respect to the pivot of the rod 126 that the latterwill be con: centric with the curve of the slot 52 when the lever 125 is in its extreme position, which will be the case when the needle, awl, and spur are out of the cloth, thereby permitting the yoke and its adjuncts to be elevated andlowered without moving any of the parts, as is necessary to thread the take-up, draw slack thread through the take-up, and insert and withdraw the work. The elevation of the yoke and its adjuncts is effected by turning a cam-block 200, Fig. 2, having a cam engaging a pin 201, projecting from the shaft 141.

In order to adjust the amount of loop drawn into the fabric, I attach the rolls 117 118, Fig. 1, to a plate 249, pivoted upon the shaft of the take-up disk I and rotated by the adjustment screw 250, acting upon an incline on the plate 249. As the roll 117 is rotated to the rightor left of the slit in the take-up disk the time of action of drawing in the thread is changed. To draw in a lesser amount, the roll 117 is carried to the left, and consequently the thread, as rotated by the disk, comes into contact with the roll 117 later, and less drawing in of the thread is effected. The reverse is the case when roll 117 is. carried to the right.

It will be evident that some of the improved features herein described may be used in connection with sewing-machines of different construction.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim- 1. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of the Work-plate, needle, and an awl moving independently of the needle, and an independent feeder, all arranged above the workplate, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a work-plate, of a needle and awl arranged above .the workplate, and a pivoted arm carrying a spur, also above the work-plate, and appliances, substantially as described, for vibrating and sliding the arm.

3. The combination, with the work-plate,

needle, and awl, and independent feeder, said needle, awl, and feeder arranged above the work-plate, of operating appliances constructed to lift the feeder prior to feeding the fabric, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the work-plate,

IIO

needle, and awl of a sewing-machinaof a feeder provided with a spur, and appliances for shifting the positions of the feeder, awl, and needle to bring the spur of the feeder, and then the awl, and then the needle in succession above the perforation in the workplate, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the presser-foot, needle, awl, and feeder, and work-plate of a sewing-machine, of appliances for lifting the feeder and the presser-foot after the feeder has penetrated the fabric and for depressing the presser-foot after the feeder has carried the fabric the required extent, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the work-plate, needle, and awl of a sewing-machine, of a frame or yoke movably supported in the overhanging arm and carrying the upper-thread carrier, presser-foot, looper, and feeder, substantially as set forth.

7.'A sewing-machine provided above the work-plate with a vertically-movable frame T, to which the presser-foot is rigidly secured, and upper-thread actuating and work-feeding devices supported by said frame, substantiallyas set forth.

8. A sewing-machine provided with an overhanging arm and with needle and awl bars moving thereon and-with a yoke supported by said arm to move vertically, provided with a horizontal shaft, and an upperthread carrier, loop-holder, and feed device carried by said shaft, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the yoke or frame, arm 50, carrying a spur, and means for rocking the arm and moving it laterally, of an adjustable stop for limiting the lateral movement of the arm, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination,in a sewing-machine, of a work-plate, vertical needle and awl bars, a support having guides for said bars, an overhanging arm having a circular bearing for said support, and means for oscillating the support to bring the needle and awl successively above the opening in the work-plate, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with the work-plate, needle and awl bars, and carrier Q, of needle and awl operating levers each provided with aprojection engaging a transverse bearing upon one of the bars, and means for oscillating the carrier, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with the carrier for the presser-foot, of a cylinder having an inclined slot receiving a pin extending from a part of said carrier, and a reciprocating lever provided with a contact-piece 61, arranged to make contact with a bearing upon said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of the presser'foot, movable support therefor, provided with a pin 86, cylinder R, having an inclined bearing for said pin, and flange or bearing 59, and a reciprocating arm carrying a contact-piece 61 for engaging said flange, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. The combination, with the cylinder R and means for imparting the uniform vertical reciprocation thereto, of a presser-foot and carrier therefor, provided with a pin extending into an inclined slot in the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of the presser-foot, carrier having a pin 86, cylinder R, having an inclined slot and serrated flange, and lever 32, provided with a contact-piece having a serrated edge, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of the thread take-up disk I, the presser-foot, and a yoke or frame carrying the same, devices for oscillating said disk, and a shifting bearing connected with the disk-operating devices and with the said frame, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination of the frame carrying the presser-foot, oscillating take-up disk, slotted levers 125 and 195 and 126, shifting bearing 128, carried by the lever 126, bearing 119, connecting the levers 195 and 126, and connections between the lever 195 and the presser-foot-carrying frame and between the lever 125 and the disk, substantially as set forth. I

18. The combination of the take-up disk I, slotted lever 125, connected with the disk, a rod 126, carrying a pin or bearing 128, a lever 195, connected with the presser-foot carrier, and a bearing 119 between the lever 195 and the rod 126, substantially as set forth.

19. The combination, with the presser-footcarrier frame, take-up disk, lever 125, connected with said take-up disk, rod 126, pivoted at one end and having an adjustable curved bearing upon the lever 125, and connections between the presser-frame and said bearing, substantially as set forth.

20. The combination of the lever'125, having a curved slot, the rod 126, having a bearing in said slot and connected with the frame carrying the presser-foot by connections ar ran ged to permit the raising and lowering of the presser-foot when the slot is concentric with the pivot of the rod 126, substantially as set forth.

21. The coi'nbination, with the take up disk and its guide-rolls, of an adjustable support for the latter, and means for varying the position of said support, substantially as Set forth.

22. The combination of the take-up disk, guide-rolls, plate carrying said guide-rolls, and adjusting-screw, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN J .PEIRGE, JR. Witnesses:

CHAS. H. REEVES, WM. S. PRESTON. 

